Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-12
Walk Mile, Rum a Mile, Ride a Mile,
in Seventeen Minutes

Walk a Mile, Run a Mile, Ride a Mile,
i'm Seventeen Minutes.
From the London ield.
On Friday. the 18th instant, a match was de-
clded on the Fordham road at Newmarket which is
likely to live long in the annals Of sport and de-
serves to go down to pOSterity along with some OF
the more celebrated feats of Squire Osbaldeston
and Capt. Barclay. The hero OF the day was Mr.
c. w. L. Bupett, late Of Rugby school and Trinity
college. Oxford. Mr.. Bulpett, in his youth, was a
celebrated athlete. His time for the Crick run at
Rugby long remained the best on record and he
won the three-nile race at oxford in an excep-
tlonally good year; but he is now well on In his
thirty-hftn year, and though always OF active
haDltS has altogether dropped running since he
left oxford. The match in question arose out OF a
discussion couple OF months ago as to how far
powers or speed and endurance were impaired by
advancing years. and Mr.. Bulpett undertook to
walk mile, TO run a mile, and TO ride mile un-
der eighteen minutes. subsequently bet of 3 to
was accepted that the task would not be accom-
pllshed i'll less than seventeen minutes. The
events might be attempted in any order.
Shortly after going into active training a hitch
occurred which at one time seemed likely to shin.
wreck all prospects Of Mr.. Bulpett's success In
his first run an old strain In the muscles OF his lett
leg made itself felt, and he pulled up dead lame
Throughout his subsequent preparation he had to
confne himself to walking exercise, and it is the
lacI that ne never tried TO run again until the day
mile of the FOrdham road on leaving Newmarket
was chosen for the attempt, the road that point
being almost perfectly level, and there being a
grass track by The side favorable for riding. The
last difficulty the horse. 1t was impossible to
get valuable animal for rough and tumble job
by the side Of the road, it was decided to use a
smart brown hack mare belonging TO Mr. Sarches
OF Newmarket, On which one or two fast spins had
| most generously offered the loan OF a very FAST
gallOper OF his own, but it was thought better to
Use an animal Which Mr.. Bulpett had ridden be-
fore.
Arrangements were made TO start at 21C In the
afternoon OF the 18th inst, Mr. Bulpett tlecting
hrst TO walk from the end furthest from Newman
n hoy fha
tege OF riding towards his horses stable As might
have been expected though no public notice had
beenglVen OF the event, SpOrt-lOving Newmarket
turned out en- masse TO witness so genuine and
sportsmanlike a match. The Whole OF the mile
was thronged with walking people, While traps
and horsemen were studded along the road at ne
| quent intervals. On the whole there cannot have
been less than 5000 persons present Shortly
after the time appointed Mr. BulpeIt appeared
| heavily bandaged on his left leg, and set out on
| his aruuous task, accompanied by his trainer
in an trap and followed BY cheer
| be added that the crowd though throughout most
excited and enthusiastic, never once interfered
either with the pedestrian or with those who had
legitimate duties TO perform Mr. Bulpett started
walking at good rate and in Scrupuously fair
| style. He accomplished The first quarter in
| minute 81 seconds and, keeping up steam to the
end, completed his walking mile In the good time
| OF minutes and % seconds. He Immediately
started to run at moderate pace, amid the deep
anxiety or all those who knew OF his lnfrm con-
dltlOn. Going along very gingerly, he completed
the half mile In the comparatively Slow time OF 2
minutes SecOliu Here his trainer called upon
him TO quicken, but the moment that he tried to
DO so heevdently felt the weak spot in his leg and
had TO slow down again, finishing the mile With
seconds.
Here the match, so far as the eighteen minutes
was concerned, was as good Won, but the per-
former was pretty well pumped, and 1t was EVIL
dent That IL would be close lit for the seventeen
minutes However, George Jeffrey, brother OF
the Weil-knOWn Jockey, who had throughout
taken great interest in Mr. Bulpett's success
was there TO swing him into the saddle and
tnOugh IL was noticed by q rather critical
audience, 1t must be said that he was little slow
In getting under way; still, there was not much
uelay In dlspdtchlng him On his final Journey The
little mare got quickly into her Stride and went at
her top speed to the hall distance Here she ap-
peared 10 steady bit, when Mr.. Gardner
jumped in on a very fast nag and gave her a
lead home, the ridden mile being completed in 2
minutes 262 seconds, the seventeen minutes
thus being beaten by Pa seconds which It
Is said, might have been slightly improved upon
put that the wrong time was shouted out mot by
the Trainer, 1T should be nOticetD when the first
half mile had been ridden. The ride seemed to
have done Mr.. Bulpett good, for he dsInounted as
| fresh daisy, and, putting on some Oyeralis
started at once to walk back To his hotel His sue
cess created remarkable amount OF enthusiasm.
Tor the Newmarket IOlk-whO love a good man
only degree less than they love good horse
followed him in a dense crowd, loudly cheering
right back to the Rutland Arms. Here they SLOWLY
separated, but the feat performed will live TO fur
nlSit them with the subject OF many q CONVERSE
tlon In dead seasons yet TO come il will in every
home and gathering where pluck and endurance
The Appetite, Of Rir6s